VIENNA, Austria - FBI Director Robert S. Mueller met with Austrian officials Thursday to discuss last week's arrests in Vienna of two suspected al-Qaida operatives and assess the threat of terrorism during next summer's Euro 2008 soccer tournament.
Interior Minister Guenther Platter described the meeting as an "intensive exchange of ideas" on counterterrorism efforts in Austria, which will co-host the June 7-29 tournament along with Switzerland.
Vienna police last week arrested three people suspected of ties to a video posted online in March that threatened Austria and Germany with attacks if they do not withdraw military personnel from Afghanistan. One of the suspects later was released for lack of evidence.
Canadian authorities have arrested a fourth suspect believed linked to the video threat.
Austrian authorities had earlier said the prime suspect was the operator of the German-language Web site for the Global Islamic Media Front, an al-Qaida propaganda group.
But the Global Islamic Media Front, in a statement issued to jihadist Internet forums on Thursday, denied that those arrested have any connection to it, according to the SITE Intelligence Group — a U.S. terrorism research center that monitors al-Qaida messages.
Platter declined to comment on measures being taken to secure Euro 2008, which will draw hundreds of thousands of soccer fans to Austria, but he confirmed plans to travel to Washington next month for more discussions with U.S. counterterrorism experts.
Canada's National Post newspaper, citing information from SITE, first reported Wednesday that the suspects allegedly discussed the possibility of carrying out an attack on one or more tournament venues.
Rudolf Gollia, a spokesman for Austria's Interior Ministry, said authorities had no knowledge of any discussions by the Vienna suspects that focused on Euro 2008.
Platter has said authorities found no evidence suggesting the suspects arrested last week were plotting to carry out an attack in Austria, although he said one of the suspects had looked into acquiring explosives.
About 2,000 Austrian police have been undergoing special training on how to contain violence during the soccer championship.
With the increasing use of the Internet as a tool to recruit Islamic radicals willing to carry out attacks, "now more than ever" it is critical for countries to cooperate and exchange information, Mueller told reporters, describing Thursday's meeting as "fruitful."
"Our success has been based on relations both within the United States and abroad," he said
Canadian authorities have arrested a fourth suspect believed linked to the video threat.
Austrian authorities had earlier said the prime suspect was the operator of the German-language Web site for the Global Islamic Media Front, an al-Qaida propaganda group.
But the Global Islamic Media Front, in a statement issued to jihadist Internet forums on Thursday, denied that those arrested have any connection to it, according to the SITE Intelligence Group — a U.S. terrorism research center that monitors al-Qaida messages.
Platter declined to comment on measures being taken to secure Euro 2008, which will draw hundreds of thousands of soccer fans to Austria, but he confirmed plans to travel to Washington next month for more discussions with U.S. counterterrorism experts.
Canada's National Post newspaper, citing information from SITE, first reported Wednesday that the suspects allegedly discussed the possibility of carrying out an attack on one or more tournament venues.
Rudolf Gollia, a spokesman for Austria's Interior Ministry, said authorities had no knowledge of any discussions by the Vienna suspects that focused on Euro 2008.
Platter has said authorities found no evidence suggesting the suspects arrested last week were plotting to carry out an attack in Austria, although he said one of the suspects had looked into acquiring explosives.
About 2,000 Austrian police have been undergoing special training on how to contain violence during the soccer championship.
With the increasing use of the Internet as a tool to recruit Islamic radicals willing to carry out attacks, "now more than ever" it is critical for countries to cooperate and exchange information, Mueller told reporters, describing Thursday's meeting as "fruitful."
"Our success has been based on relations both within the United States and abroad," he said
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